Pitt Reveals Starting Lineup vs. Syracuse

The Pitt Panthers revealed their starting lineup vs. the Syracuse Orange.

Oct 12, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Braylan Lovelace (0) reacts after registering a sack against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The No. 19 Pitt Panthers revealed their starting lineup in their Week 9 matchup against their rival in the Syracuse Orange at Acrisure Stadium.

Pitt Football Starting Lineup vs. Syracuse

Offense

Quarterback-Eli Holstein
Running Back-Desmond Reid
Wide Receiver-Kenny Johnson
Wide Receiver-Konata Mumpfield
Wide Receiver-Daejon Reynolds 
Wide Receiver-Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr.
Wide Receiver-Censere "C.J." Lee
Tight end-Gavin Bartholomew
Left Tackle-Terrence Enos Jr.
Left Guard-Ryan Jacoby
Center-Lyndon Cooper
Right Guard-BJ Williams
Right Tackle-Ryan Baer

Defense

Defensive End-Nate Matlack
Defensive Tackle-Sean FitzSimmons
Defensive Tackle-Nick James
Defensive End-Jimmy Scott
Star Linebacker-Kyle Louis
Mike Linebacker-Brandon George
Money Linebacker-Rasheem Biles
Safety-Donovan McMillon
Safety-Javon McIntyre
Cornerback-Ryland Gandy
Cornerback-Rashad Battle

Special Teams

Longsnapper-Nilay Upadhyayula
Placekicker-Ben Sauls
Punter-Caleb Junko
Holder-Cam Guess

The biggest change to the starting lineup is that Panthers redshirt senior offensive lineman Branson Taylor is out vs. the Orange. Redshirt junior Terrence Enos Jr. will get the first start of his career at left tackle in place of him.

Taylor suffered an injury early on in the Cal game and Enos had to take over for him the rest of the way.

Sophomore linebacker Rasheem Biles, who missed the Cal game, returns for Pitt against Syracuse. He starts his fourth game of the season and has excelled in 2024, making 40 tackles (23 solo), three sacks and three pass breakups in the first five games.

Redshirt sophomore Nick James returns to the starting lineup at defensive tackle. He missed the road trip to North Carolina in Week 6 and came off the bench against Cal in Week 7.

Pitt and Syracuse have faced off against each other since 1955, making it 70 straight seasons doing so, the longest running opponent for Pitt.

The 6-0 start to the season is the best for the Panthers since they were 7-0 in 1982, with Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino in his senior year.

The 4-0, undefeated non-conference record was the first time they ever acheived that since joining the Big East in that 1991 season, after historically playing as an independent previously.

Syracuse comes into this game 5-1 on the season, with their sole loss coming vs. ACC newcomer Stanford, 26-24 at home in Week 4.

They have two wins vs. top 25 opponents in then ranked No. 23 Georgia Tech, 31-28 at home in Week 2 and then ranked No. 25 UNLV on the road, 44-41 in overtime in Las Vegas.

The Panthers hold the series lead over the Orange, 43-32-3 (W-L-D), including 9-2 since both programs joined the ACC in 2013. The Panthers have also not lost to the Orange at home since 2001, making it 10 straight wins at Heinz Field/Acrisure Stadium.

Syracuse ended a five-game losing streak in the series last season, with a 28-13 win at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y., as they scored 21 unanswered points in the second half.

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